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This content was subject to assurance by SGS Italia S.p.A. (14 March 2014).

The thrill of Formula One on the road: safety and control

Ferrari has always brought the Scuderia’s Formula One (F1) experience in the choice of materials, design and engineering into its on-road vehicle design.

LaFerrari's chassis is built entirely in-house in Maranello alongside the F1 single-seaters using the Scuderia’s materials and production processes. A working group of GT and F1 engineers, joined by Rory Byrne, designer of the single-seater of the Prancing Horse from 1990 to 2000, designed a chassis which provides maximum rigidity and minimum weight, while working to make the passenger compartment as secure as possible.

The tube is made of T800 fabric, which ensures energy absorption along the established lines of force, while T1000 fabric is used in areas that are important for passenger compartment protection, such as the doors and sills. Structural elements of the body are made using M46J carbon-fiber which is extremely rigid, but lightweight. For the underbody, carbon-fiber is combined with another specialist composite material Kevlar®, which is a super high-strength material used to protect the carbon structure from road debris damage.

In addition, in terms of electronic management, Ferrari 458 Speciale marks the world debut of Side Slip Angle Control (SSC) and an upgrade of the F1 traction control logic. SSC instantaneously calculates the car’s side slip angle, comparing it with reference data: torque management is optimized while differential torque is distributed more efficiently. It helps reach top car performance making driving all the more thrilling as well as allowing for more manageable oversteering.